Warfire | Broken Time Series: Book Two

Chapter 42

They ran down the tunnel as fast as they dared, Milora still holding onto Az as he did his best to keep up. Nagan stayed in the back, keeping his ears open for any sign of someone following them. He didn't want to think about the sounds of a battle fading behind him, nor did he want to think about the lack of a confident, even stride in front of him. By the time they reached the end and started heading into the town, Nagan told the others to stop.

"Block the tunnel," Nagan ordered, taking Az from Milora.

Milora only nodded, eyes red, and soon a variety of blue barriers erected behind them. Nagan mentally checked over her work all the while. He trusted her skill, but he had never witnessed her in a situation like this. People were unpredictable, he knew, but at least he knew Az was capable of keeping his head. Aitor was not, hence why he sent him away. The spell casting was sound, he determined. As Milora finished up the last spell, Nagan turned to Az with a grimace.

"This is gonna hurt," he said, helping Az balance as he moved to stand in front of him. Az nodded grimly, and he let Nagan take hold of his arm. With as smooth of a transition as he could manage, Nagan hoisted Az over his shoulder, the latter hissing in pain as his thigh jostled at the motion.

"Time to go, Milora!" Nagan called over his shoulder before setting a brisk pace, ignoring how his legs burned.

With every step he took, the more his anxiety grew. How was he supposed to get them out of here? They were miles away from anywhere considered safe, and their dragons were injured. Perhaps it was a stupid decision on his part by sending the dragons away. If they were here, they could've told them to protect the hoard, hoping that the dark magic surrounding them couldn't break through. Maybe the dragons were well enough to glide, at least getting them away from here. Had he already doomed them?

Another screech ripped through the air, just as haunting and tortured as the one before. Ivisian. A shudder ran through Nagan's body, knowing all too well what that cry meant.

"Carth, no!" Milora sobbed.

Nagan swallowed down his own emotions as he muttered a silent thanks to someone he was proud to call his friend.

But some friend I was. Nagan knew there was no use grieving for a possibility—something that could never happen—but that didn't mean he didn't grieve for it at all. After the life he had lived before, he was a fool for thinking he wouldn't lose anyone else.

But now was not the time to think of that. He needed to protect who remained; get everyone who was left back home. A moment of clarity washed over him as he realized he would do anything for that to happen.

Even if that meant sacrificing his own life. Despite Carth having a martyr complex, perhaps a hero complex wasn't so different in the end.

Take things one piece at a time, Nagan reminded himself, hearing the phantom words of his mother as she had once said the same. The gates of the city were approaching quickly, but Nagan almost wished he had a little more time to think. What was he going to do once he reached it and the open field beyond? At the speed they were going, they would never make it across with a single time spell, and Nagan wasn't sure he had enough in him to cast one in the first place. Milora couldn't drag Az and him across if he were to faint halfway through. And they no longer had the onyx, leaving it...with the one who needed it most. Maybe they could skirt the wall, staying closer to the side of the mountain, and slowly make their way into the woods—

Nagan!

Nagan startled as a flash of purple lept over the walls, wings batting wildly before it hit the ground, speeding towards them.

"Ravi?!"

Ravi didn't give them much time to react as sticky tendrils grabbed them and dragged them onto her back. Az let out a shout of pain at the harsh treatment, and Nagan could practically hear Az's teeth gritting behind him as Ravi made a sharp turn and jumped the wall again.